Integrated foam extracting and rotary scrubbing machine

ABSTRACT

A rotary scrubber of the type including a tubular frame member supported from the body of the scrubber and extending about and closely embracing a major portion of the lower periphery of the scrubbing member with the tubular frame member provided with underside air inlet openings and supported from the body of the rotary scrubber for floating gimbaled movement. The body of the rotary scrubber includes an upwardly projecting drive motor upon whose top or upper end a wet vacuum assembly is supported and the suction inlet for the wet vacuum is communicated with the interior of the tubular member in order that suds generated during a scrubbing action may be substantially immediately vacuumed from the surface of the article being scrubbed as the scrubber is orbited over that surface.

United States Patent [191 Hughes Mar. 19, 1974 INTEGRATED FOAMEXTRACTING AND ROTARY SCRUBBING MACHINE Robert R. Hughes, Lutherville,Md.

Chemical Specialties Manufacturing Corp., Baltimore, Md.

Filed: Oct. 29, 1971 Appl. No: 193,788

Inventor:

Assignee:

US. Cl. 15/353, 15/385 Int. Cl A47l 9/18 Field of Search 15/320, 353,385

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1939 Longshore et 211......15/320 8/1972 Hughes et al. 15/320 X Primary ExaminerHarvey O. HornsbyAssistant Examiner-C. K. Moore Attorney, Agent, or FirmClarence A.OBrien; Harvey B. Jacobson [57] ABSTRACT A rotary scrubber of the typeincluding a tubular frame member supported from the body of the scrubberand extending about and closely embracing a major portion of the lowerperiphery of the scrubbing member with the tubular frame member providedwith underside air inlet openings and supported from the body of therotary scrubber for floating gimbaled movement. The body of the rotaryscrubber includes an upwardly projecting drive motor upon whose top orupper end a wet vacuum assembly is supported and the suction inlet forthe wet vacuum is communicated with the interior of the tubular memberin order that suds generated during a scrubbing action may besubstantially immediately vacuumed from the surface of the article beingscrubbed as the scrubber is orbited over that surface.

11 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures INTEGRATED FOAM EXTRACTING AND ROTARYSCRUBBING MACHINE The scrubbing machine of the instant inventioncomprises an improvement over the rotary scrubber disclosed inco-pending US. application Ser. No. 63,579, now US. Pat. No. 3,686,707,in that the integrated wet vacuum supported therefrom enables theoperator of a machine to simultaneously shampoo and scrub a carpet whilealso vacuuming the suds generated as a result of the scrubbing operationwithout being encumbered by vacuum hoses leading from the scrubber to aseparate wet vacuum unit. Accordingly, there is no need for the operatorof the machine of the instant invention to step over or move aboutvacuum hoses leading to a separate wet vacuum machine nor is there aneed for a second workman to move a separate wet vacuum along with thescrubbing machine as it is moved from one area of a carpet to anotherduring the process of scrubbing the carpet.

Althouth there are presently being manufactured reasonably compact wetvacuums which may be utilized to vacuum the suds generated during acarpet scrubbing operation, because of the quantity of the nap of thecarpet loosened during a scrubbing operation (approximately the sameamount that is loosened during a conventional vacuuming operation by anupright vacuum cleaner), these compact wet vacuums tend to clog withthose portions of the carpet nap picked up by the vacuum. Accordingly,most carpet cleaning establishments utilizing wet vacuums to vacuum thesuds from the carpet when it is scrubbed utilize reasonably large wetvacuums with large filter areas. However, the mounting of a large wetvacuum atop a carpet scrubber renders the scrubber cumbersome to manageand thus the wet vacuum portion of the instant invention comprises arelatively compact wet vacuum which has been modified so as to becapable of handling relatively large quantities of carpet nap withoutclogging.

The main object of this invention is to provide a carpet scrubber withan integrated wet vacuum whereby a single workman may shampoo and scruba carpet while simultaneously picking up the suds generated as a resultof the scrubbing operation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a relatively compact wetvacuum with modifications thereto enabling it to handle relatively largequantities of carpet nap without becoming clogged.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein isto provide an integrated foam extracting and rotary scrubbing machine inaccordance with the preceding objects and which will conform toconventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy touse so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible,longlasting and relatively trouble-free in operation.

These together with other objects .and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which: v

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the integrated foam extracting androtary scrubbing machine of the instant invention:

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view takensubstantially upon a plane passing through the collection canister ofthe wet vacuum portion of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken substantiallyupon a plane indicated by the section line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially upona plane indicated by the section line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 2 butillustrating a modified form of wet vacuum.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numeral 10 generallydesignates a conventional form of rotary scrubber including a body 12from which an electric motor 14 is supported. The electric motor 14includes a rotary output shaft (not shown) upon which a rotary brush 16is mounted for rotation therewith. The brush 16 is of conventionaldesign and is removably secured to the aforementioned motor output shaftwhereby it may be readily removed and replaced by another brush, ifdesired.

The scrubber 10 is of substantially the same construction as thescrubber disclosed in the above referred to US. Pat. No. 3,686,707 inthat it includes an upwardly and outwardly inclined handle 18 having ashampoo solution tank 20 supported therefrom including a gravitydischarge line 22 provided .with a suitable control valve 24 actuatableby a control 26 adjacent to the upper end of the handle 18. Further, therotary scrubber 10 is provided with a foam extractor attachment referredto in general by the reference numeral 28 supported from the body 12 forfloating gimbaled movement, as disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,686,707, theattachment 28 comprising a tubular member 30, also disclosed in US. Pat.No. 3,686,707 slotted along its underside and provided with opposite endupturned outlet ends 32 over which one pair of corresponding ends of apair of transparent vacuum tubes 34 are telescoped.

Thus, the rotary scrubber 10, when the other pair of ends of the vacuumtubes 34 are communicated with a suitable source of vacuum, is operablein substantially the same manner.

However, rather than having to be utilized in conjunction with aseparate wet vacuum and connected thereto by means ofa relatively longflexible vacuum line whereas the rotary scrubber 10 of the instantinvention supports its own wet vacuum referred to in genera] by thereference numeral 38 on top of the motor 14.

The wet vacuum 38 includes an upwardly opening cylindrical housing 40having a bottom wall 42. The upper marginal edge portion of the housingside wall 44 is rolled outwardly as at 46 to provide a reinforced beadabout the top of the housing 40 and the vacuum 38 includes a closurecover referred to in general by the reference numeral 48.

In order to support the wet vacuum 38 from the top of the motor 14 acircular mounting plate 50 including an upturned peripheralretainingflange 52 is secured to the upper end of the motor 14 by means ofsuitable tubular spacers 54 and fasteners 56 secured through mountingplate 50, the tubular spacers 54 and the upper end of the motor 14.

A resilient pad 56 is placed over the upper surface of the mountingplate 50 within-the confines of the retaining flange 52 and is abuttedby the lower end of the housing 40, the latter includingcircumferentially spaced overcenter toggle clamps 58 for releasablysecuring the housing 40 to the plate 50.

A vacuum unit referred to in general by the reference numeral 60 isprovided and includes an electric motor 62 driving a blower (not shown).The blower includes an outlet 64 and an inlet cup 66. The vacuum unit 60is secured through an opening 68 formed in a top wall 70 of the housing40 with the motor 62 disposed above the top wall 70 and the inlet cup 66disposed below the top wall 70, the motor 62 and cup 66 being secured tothe upper and lower sides of the top wall 70 by means of fasteners 72.

The inlet cup 66 includes a central lower inlet opening 74 to which theupper end of the short leg 76 of a J-shaped inlet neck referred to ingeneral by the reference numeral 78 is secured. The upstanding long leg80 of the inlet neck 78 tapers upwardly toward an upwardly opening upperend 82 which is generally oval in cross-sectional shape, see FIG. 3.

A generally cylindrical separator partition referred to in general bythe reference numeral 86 is provided and disposed within the housing 40in upstanding position. The partition 86 includes a perforated lowersection 88 which rests upon a bottom wall 42 and a cylindricalimperforate upper section 90 whose lower end is telescoped into andsecured to the upper end of the lower section 88. The upper end of theupper section 90 is flared horizontally outwardly as at 92 in order todefine upper end of the section 90. I

An annular seal 96 is carried by the underside of the abutment flange 94while a second annular seal 98 is carried by the undersurfaceof theouter periphery of the top wall 70. Accordingly, with the wet vacuum 38assembled as illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the seal 96 isdisposed between the outwardly rolled upper lip of the housing 40 andthe underside ofthe abutment flange 94 while the annular seal 98 isdisposed. between the upper surface of the abutment flange 94 and theundersurface of the outer periphery of the top wall 70. The upperperipheral portion of the housing 40 includes peripherally spacedovercenter toggle assemblies 100 similar to the assemblies 58 and whichare utilized to clampingly secure the top wall 70 to the upper end ofthe housing 40 in fluid type sealed engagement therewith. i

it will be noted that while the cylindrical partition 86 issubstantially cylindrical, it includes a pair of circumferentiallyspaced upstanding and outwardly opening semicylindrical recesses 102. inaddition, the outer surface of the upper section 90 of the partition 86includes four circumferentially spaced spacing blocks 104 whereby whenthe partition 86 is disposed within the housing 40 it will be at leastsubstantially concentric therewith.

From FIG. 2 of the drawings it may be seen that the tapered upper end 82of the long leg 80 of the inlet neck 78 is snuggly received between theadjacent outer surface portion of the inlet cup 66 and the adjacentinner surface portion of the upper section 90 of the cylindricalpartition 86. Further, it will be noted that a pair of vacuum air inletfittings 106 are secured through the housing side wall 44 in registrywith the rean abutment flange 94 extending peripherally about the cesses102 and that the pair of ends of the vacuum tubes 34 remote from thetubular member 30 are telescoped over the outer ends of the fittings106.

The upper end of the handle 18 not only includes controls for actuatingthe motor 14 but also a control 1 10 for actuating the motor 52 of thevacuum unit 60.

With attention invited more specifically to FIGS. 4 and 5 of thedrawings, there may be seen a modified form of cylindrical partition 86'which is substantially identical to the partition 86 except that thelower section 88' thereof does not extend all the way down to the bottomwall 42 but instead terminates a spaced distance above the bottom wall42 and includes a perforated bottom wall 89. Otherwise, the cylindricalportion 86' is identical to the cylindrical partition 86.

in operation, the rotary scrubber 10 is operative in substantially thesame manner as the rotary scrubber disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,686,707,except that the lightweight compact wet vacuum 38 associated with therotary scrubber 10 is mounted atop the motor 14 of the scrubber in lieuof being detached from the latter and supported from the same surfaceover which the rotary scrubber is moving and connected to the latter bymeans of a long flexible vacuum tube.

As herein before set forth, rotary scrubbers utilized for shampooingcarpets are usually accompanied by a separate relatively large capacitywet vacuum. To mount such a bulky vacuum atop the motor 14 would renderthe scrubber 10 excessively top heavy. Further, commercially availablepowerful but compact wet vacuums do not have sufficient fitteringcapacity for separating carpet nap from the air passing through thevacuum. Accordingly, heretofor it has been impossible to mount a compactbutpowerful Wet vacuum atop the motor of a rotary scrubber.

The imperforate upper portions of the recesses 102 are disposed inregistry with the outlet ends of the inlet fittings 106 and wet carpetnap picked up by the wet vacuum and being discharged into the housing 40through the fittings 106 strikes the upper imperforate walls of theupper section and clings thereto so as to subsequently slide downwardlytherealong. However, there is ample clearance between the adjacent outersurface portions of the upper section 90 and the inner ends of thefittings 106 to enable the free passage of vacuum air into the entireannular area between the housing side wall 44 and the outer surface ofthe lower section 88. Therefore, there is substantially no tendency ofthe perforated lower filter section 88 to become clogged with carpetnap.

Even should there be a large amount of carpet nap discharged into thehousing 40 and impinged upon the surfaces of the upper section 90defining the upper ends of the recesses 102, the accumulation of wetcarpet nap will soon slide down the upper portions of the recesses I02and into the lower portions of the recesses I02 defined by the lowersection 88. While this will cause some of the apertures of perforationsin the lower section 88 to become clogged, these apertures subject toclogging represent only a small fraction of the total number ofapertures formed in the lower section 88 and therefore efficientoperation of the wet vacuum 38 will not be impaired.

Inasmuch as the wet vacuum 38 is extremely compact and of low verticalheight, the J-shaped inlet neck 78 is provided to further ensure that nowater and wet carpet nap will be drawn into the inlet end 82 of theinlet neck 78. If the inlet neck 78 was not providedand air was drawndirectly into theopening 74 formed in the bottom wall of the inlet cup66, considerable quantities of water as well as wet carpet nap would bedrawn into the opening 74. For this reason the .l-shaped inlet neck 78is provided and in order to reduce the overall diameter of the wetvacuum 38 the diameter of the housing 40 and cylindrical partition 86 ismaintained at a minimum with the upper inlet end 82 of the long leg 80of the .I-shaped inlet neck 78 being flattened so as to be receivedwithin the narrow annular area defined between the inlet cup 66 and theopposing inner surface portions of the upper section 90 of thecylindrical partition 86. Accordingly, the total size and weight of thewet vacuum 38 has been maintained at a minimum without sacrificing thefiltering ability thereof and the wet vacuum 38 may therefore operate atfull efficiency and be mounted atop the motor 14 of the scrubber withoutrendering the scrubber 10 excessively top heavy. By mounting the vacuumatop the motor 14, an extremely compact carpet scrubbing and foamextracting machine is provided and the operator of the scrubber 10 needonly operate the latter Without interference from a long flexible vacuumtube extending to a remote wet vacuum and the foam generated by thescrubbing action of the scrubber 10 may be immediately extracted fromthe carpet as the scrubber 10 is orbited back and forth across thecarpet.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A rotary scrubber including a body, horizontal, downwardly facingrotary scrubbing means underlying the body and journalled therefrom forrotation about a vertical axis extending generally centrally throughsaid body, motor means supported from the upper side of said body andgenerally centered about said axis, said motor means projecting upwardlyfrom said body and drivingly connected to said rotary scrubbing means, ahandle supported from said body and including an elevated portiondisposed outwardly of one marginal portion of said body, vacuum chambermeans extending partially about the area beneath said body in which saidrotary scrubbing means is disposed for extracting foam generated on acarpet, by the scrubbing means, a vertically compact wet vacuum unitsupported atop said motor in generally centered position about said axisand including a vacuum air inlet and an air outlet, means communicatingsaid vacuum air inlet with said vacuum chamber means, said wet vacuumunit including an upwardly opening housing secured atop said motor andincluding an upstanding continuous peripheral side wall, a removable topwall closing the upper end of said housing, an upstanding tubularpartition disposed within said housing and including a wall spacedinwardly of the inner surface of said housing side wall, some portionsof said partition wall being perforated and other portions of saidpartition wall being imperforate, said vacuum unit inlet being disposedwithin the confines of the upper portion of said tubular partition, saidmeans communicating said vacuum air inlet with said vacuum chamber meanscomprising an air conduit opening into said vacuum chamber at one endand gen- .erally horizontally through an upper portion of said housingupstanding side wall into the area defined between said housing sidewall and said tubular partition, at the other end thereof, animperforate portion of said tubular partition being disposed in registrywith said other end of said air conduit, whereby carpet nap or fragmentsentrained in air entering the last mentioned area from said other end ofsaid conduit will impinge upon said imperforate portion of saidpartition, and will move downwardly therealong so as not to be drawnthrough the perforations of said partition.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the last mentioned imperforatewall portion defines an upstanding partial cylindrical recess openingoutwardly toward said other end of said air conduit.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein the lower end of said tubularpartition is at least substantially closed by the bottom wall of saidhousing.

4. The combination of claim 2 wherein the lower end of said tubularpartition rests upon the bottom wall of said housing.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said partition includes aperforated lower end wall.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said vacuum air inlet is generallyessentially disposed within the confines of said tubular partition aspaced distance below the upper end of said tubular partition, and aJ-shaped inlet neck for said vacuum air inlet extending downwardly fromthe latter, outwardly toward one peripheral portion of said tubularpartition and then upwardly along the inner surface of said peripheralportion of said body, an elongated generally horizontal tubular saidtubular partition to a point spaced slightly below the top wall of saidhousing.

7. in combination, a rotary scrubber including a gen erally horizontalbody having opposite side and front and rear marginal portions, asingle, horizontal, downwardly facing rotary scrubbing means underlyingsaid body and journalled therefrom for rotation about a generallycentrally disposed vertical axis, motor means supported from the upperside of said body and generally centered coaxially with said axis, saidmotor means projecting upwardly from said body and drivingly connectedto said rotary scrubbing means, a handle supported from said body andincluding an elevated portion disposed outwardly over one marginalportion of member closely embracing and extending at least partiallyabout the horizontal area in which said scrubbing means is disposed,said tubular member and said body including coacting means supportingsaid tubular member from said body for limited vertical shifting andfree inclination in any direction relative to said axis, said coactingmeans also including means operative to yield ingly urge said tubularmember toward a lower limit position relative to said body, a verticallycompact wet vacuum unit supported atop said motor in generally centeredposition about said axis, said vacuum unit including an upwardly openingtubular housing provided with a removal top wall, a motorized vacuumblower assembly secured through a central portion of said top wall, andincluding a centrally disposed first vacuum air inlet spaced below saidtop wall, and a vacuum air outlet, a tubular partition mounted withinsaid housing defining an annular inlet chamber between the inner surfaceof said housing and the outer surface of said tubul ar partition, saidtubular partition being sealed relative to said top wall, said housingincluding a second vacuum air inlet opening generally horizontallythrough the side wall of said housing into said annular chamber, andvacuum air conduit means communicating said second vacuum air inlet withthe interior of said tubular member, the lower surface of said tubularmember having at least one inlet opening formed therethrough.

8 The combination of claim 7 wherein at least some lower portions ofsaid tubular partition have apertures formed therethrough, the portionof said partition registered with said second vacuum air inlet beingimperforate.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said portion of said tubularpartition registered with said second vacuum'air inlet define anupstanding outwardly opening semi-cylindrical recess.

10. The combination of claim 9 wherein said housing includes a furthervacuum air inlet spaced circumferentially about said housing from saidsecond vacuum air inlet said tubular partition including a pair ofimperforate portions thereof defining upstanding outwardly openingpartial cylindrical recesses registered with said housing second andfurther vacuum air inlets.

11. The combination of claim 10 wherein said housing second and furthervacuum air inlets are disposed on one side of said'housing and theblower assembly vacuum air inlet opens upwardly into the interior ofsaid tubular partition adjacent to the top wall of said housing and theside of said tubular partition remote from the side of said housingthrough which said housing second and further vacuum air inlets open.

1. A rotary scrubber including a body, horizontal, downwardly facingrotary scrubbing means underlying the body and journalled therefrom forrotation about a vertical axis extending generally centrally throughsaid body, motor means supported from the upper side of said body andgenerally centered about said axis, said motor means projecting upwardlyfrom said body and drivingly connected to said rotary scrubbing means, ahandle supported from said body and including an elevated portiondisposed outwardly of one marginal portion of said body, vacuum chambermeans extending partially about the area beneath said body in which saidrotary scrubbing means is disposed for extracting foam generated on acarpet, by the scrubbing means, a vertically compact wet vacuum unitsupported atop said motor in generally centered position about said axisand including a vacuum air inlet and an air outlet, means communicatingsaid vacuum air inlet with said vacuum chamber means, said wet vacuumunit including an upwardly opening housing secured atop said motor andincluding an upstanding continuous peripheral side wall, a removable topwall closing the upper end of said housing, an upstanding tubularpartition disposed within said housing and including a wall spacedinwardly of the inner surface of said housing side wall, some portionsof said partition wall being perforated and other portions of saidpartition wall being imperforate, said vacuum unit inlet being disposedwithin the confines of the upper portion of said tubular partition, saidmeans communicating said vacuum air inlet with said vacuum chamber meanscomprising an air conduit opening into said vacuum chamber at one endand generally horizontally through an upper portion of said housingupstanding side wall into the area defined between said housing sidewall and said tubular partition at the other end thereof, an imperforateportion of said tubular partition being disposed in registry with saidother end of said air conduit, whereby carpet nap or fragments entrainedin air entering the last mentioned area from said other end of saidconduit will impinge upon said imperforate portion of said partition,and will move downwardly therealong so as not to be drawn through theperforations of said partition.
 2. The combination of claim 1 whereinthe last mentioned imperforate wall portion defines an upstandingpartial cylindrical recess opening outwardly toward said other end ofsaid air conduit.
 3. The combination of claim 2 wherein the lower end ofsaid tubular partition is at least substantially closed by the bottomwall of said housing.
 4. The combination of claim 2 wherein the lowerend of said tubular partition rests upon the bottom wall of saidhousing.
 5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said partition includes aperforated lower end wall.
 6. The combination of claim 1 wherein saidvacuum air inlet is generally essentially disposed within the confinesof said tubular partition a spaced distance below the upper end of saidtubular partition, and a J-shaped inlet neck for said vacuum air inletextending downwardly from the latter, outwardly toward one peripheralportion of said tubular partition and then upwardly along the innersurface of said peripheral portion of said tubular partition to a pointspaced slightly below the top wall of said housing.
 7. In combination, arotary scrubber including a generally Horizontal body having oppositeside and front and rear marginal portions, a single, horizontal,downwardly facing rotary scrubbing means underlying said body andjournalled therefrom for rotation about a generally centrally disposedvertical axis, motor means supported from the upper side of said bodyand generally centered coaxially with said axis, said motor meansprojecting upwardly from said body and drivingly connected to saidrotary scrubbing means, a handle supported from said body and includingan elevated portion disposed outwardly over one marginal portion of saidbody, an elongated generally horizontal tubular member closely embracingand extending at least partially about the horizontal area in which saidscrubbing means is disposed, said tubular member and said body includingcoacting means supporting said tubular member from said body for limitedvertical shifting and free inclination in any direction relative to saidaxis, said coacting means also including means operative to yieldinglyurge said tubular member toward a lower limit position relative to saidbody, a vertically compact wet vacuum unit supported atop said motor ingenerally centered position about said axis, said vacuum unit includingan upwardly opening tubular housing provided with a removal top wall, amotorized vacuum blower assembly secured through a central portion ofsaid top wall, and including a centrally disposed first vacuum air inletspaced below said top wall, and a vacuum air outlet, a tubular partitionmounted within said housing defining an annular inlet chamber betweenthe inner surface of said housing and the outer surface of said tubularpartition, said tubular partition being sealed relative to said topwall, said housing including a second vacuum air inlet opening generallyhorizontally through the side wall of said housing into said annularchamber, and vacuum air conduit means communicating said second vacuumair inlet with the interior of said tubular member, the lower surface ofsaid tubular member having at least one inlet opening formedtherethrough.
 8. The combination of claim 7 wherein at least some lowerportions of said tubular partition have apertures formed therethrough,the portion of said partition registered with said second vacuum airinlet being imperforate.
 9. The combination of claim 8 wherein saidportion of said tubular partition registered with said second vacuum airinlet define an upstanding outwardly opening semi-cylindrical recess.10. The combination of claim 9 wherein said housing includes a furthervacuum air inlet spaced circumferentially about said housing from saidsecond vacuum air inlet said tubular partition including a pair ofimperforate portions thereof defining upstanding outwardly openingpartial cylindrical recesses registered with said housing second andfurther vacuum air inlets.
 11. The combination of claim 10 wherein saidhousing second and further vacuum air inlets are disposed on one side ofsaid housing and the blower assembly vacuum air inlet opens upwardlyinto the interior of said tubular partition adjacent to the top wall ofsaid housing and the side of said tubular partition remote from the sideof said housing through which said housing second and further vacuum airinlets open.